


Sometimes Magic is a Drag

by Ymaxwell39



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:01:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27338347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ymaxwell39/pseuds/Ymaxwell39
Summary: When Harry asked Hermione to dinner and a show, she never expected to be PERFORMING in the show herself
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Harry Potter
Kudos: 5





	Sometimes Magic is a Drag

**Author's Note:**

> There are two characters in this story who are actual Drag performers. The character of 'Harry Pi' is myself, and the character of 'Melodie Sommers' is my Drag mother, and used with her permission. All other performer names, as well as the name of the venue, are from my imagination, and bear no resemblance to actual performers. Any similarity to actual performers, living or deceased, and/or venues, are purely coincidental. Thank you.  
> A/N 2: Melodie Sommers was asked before I began this story if I would be allowed to use her words as a quote in this story, and she graciously gave her permission. I have indicated that quote in the story by use of an asterisk at the end of what Melodie is saying.  
> I am not JK Rowling, and do not own Harry Potter. I make no money from the writing of this fan fiction

Hermione Granger sat at her desk in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures and sighed. It seemed that lately all she did was go to work and go home, and frankly she was bored with it. There was no excitement in her life, no joy, just monotony. It was a draining state of being. So, when lunch hour came around, she wandered out to the Atrium to the small café she liked, hoping that she could snap out of this state of listlessness. She had almost finished her small salad and sandwich when a shadow fell on her table. Looking up, she saw her best friend. Something in her expression must have clued Harry into her state of mind, because he dispensed with greetings and cut right to the heart of things.

“You look down, Hermione. Is something bothering you? Even if I can’t help, I can at least listen.”

“Routine and more routine, Harry, and it’s causing me to develop a severe ennui.”

“A severe what?” His brows raise and his head tilts just so, a look Hermione knows all too well.

“I’m getting indifferent and dissatisfied about things Harry, and that’s not like me. I need to find a way to snap out of it.”

“Well, what was the last thing you did for fun?”

“Organized my library at home,” she said, voice flat.

“Oh, Merlin,” he sighs, “that’s wrong on so many levels. Are you free this evening?”

“I don’t have any plans, so yes I’m free. Why?”

“Good. Be ready around seven, and dress Muggle. Dressy casual should do.”

“Harry, what are you talking about?” Her brows pull together, it had been ages since she and Harry went out, especially without Ron accompanying them. The suddenness of it all took her a bit off guard.

“We both need a night to relax, so I’m going to pick you up at seven and we’re going to dinner and maybe a show in the Muggle world. No magic to worry about, and if we’re careful, no risk to the Statute of Secrecy. Let ourselves relax for once; in my opinion we both deserve it.”

“That actually sounds like fun. You have a deal. Are we having dinner, or seeing the show first?”

“Dinner. The place I’m considering for the show actually has a few sets of performances by entertainers with breaks in between. Nothing like a movie in a theater.”

“Okay, that sounds even better. Live performances are always more fun than a movie.”

“Since I’m inviting you, I pick up the cost for everything, okay Hermione?”

“Fine, Harry.” She huffs, knowing better than to pick this battle as she might have a few years ago. “As long as you remember next time is my treat.”

“Deal. I need to get back to the DMLE. See you at seven.”

When Harry left, Hermione cleared away her trash and returned to work; cheered now by having something to look forward to . There had been too many evenings that felt like mere routine lately, so dinner and a show with Harry might be just what she needed.

At six, Hermione went home, heading straight for her room to ransack her closet for something to wear that evening. Harry had told her dressy casual, so she pulled out a pair of black skinny jeans, an off the shoulder burgundy blouse, and a pair of knee high boots. After placing the outfit on her bed, she went to take a shower.

Twenty minutes later she was dressed and ready. She had decided against wearing makeup, and she could never seem to get the hang of beauty charms like Lavender and Parvati used at Hogwarts. Before she had a chance to talk herself into applying just a bit of makeup, Harry arrived.

“You look great, Hermione. Are you ready to go?”

“You don’t think I should at least put on some makeup?”

“No, you look pretty whether you wear it or not.”

Nodding, Hermione picked up her beaded bag and followed Harry out the door, turning to secure it with a locking charm once outside.

“Did you want to Apparate to London, or take the tube? It might be easier to Apparate, and we can take a taxi from the restaurant to the show.”

“Apparating is fine, Harry. But after that, we need to not use magic. Not unless we want the Aurors involved.”

“Completely forgetting that I’m an Auror, but yes,” Harry said, chuckling.

Hermione took Harry’s arm and with a small turn, they were near the restaurant. After taking a moment to get their bearings, Harry led Hermione to the restaurant. Both were already beginning to relax, the pressure of their reputations following the end of the war, just three years past, melting from their shoulders.

The evening away from the Wizarding world allowed the tension Hermione had been suffering to finally release, loosening her muscles. Noticing the way her posture became less rigid, Harry smiled as they enjoyed their meal and talked. Good food, and better company, let time slide by the pair. It wasn't until sometime later, glancing at his watch, Harry signaled the waiter for the check.

“We need to get to the show if we don’t want to be late. I’ve heard the entertainers are incredible,” he remarks casually, taking care of the bill.

“Okay,” the brunette says slowly, mentally putting pieces together in an effort to figure out this 'show' he's mentioned several times now.

“Is it a play of some kind, a musical, what kind of show?”

“You’ll see when we get there, but it should be fun. Plus, we should be able to get some drinks other than butterbeer or Firewhiskey,” a light smile forms on his lips, “there are times I get so tired of having mainly just those two choices on something to drink.”

Smiling, Hermione followed Harry out of the restaurant, and smirked when he tried hailing a taxi, only to see them pass by. Stepping forward, Hermione raised an arm, and a taxi pulled over to stop next to them. She glanced over to see Harry giving her a confused stare.

“Okay…how did you do that when they didn’t stop for me, Hermione?”

Laughing, she started over to the taxi and looked back over her shoulder at her best friend.

“Easy, Harry…they’re called breasts.”

Shaking his head, muttering a bit while getting in the taxi after Hermione, Harry looked at the driver.

“The Masquerade, please.”

Settling into the taxi seat, belt firmly in place, Hermione found herself glad she's agreed to let Harry take her out tonight. She loved her job at the Ministry, but lately it had become boring. Even the magic of the Magical World could become stale, perhaps this evening in the Muggle world was just what she needed to recharge. As the lights of London sped by, Hermione smiled; they hadn't even reached the show yet, yet she found herself already having fun. Just a chance to hang out with a friend over dinner could have been enough to lift her spirits for the remainder of the week.

A few minutes pass before the taxi pulled to a stop. Harry took a glance at the meter to see the fare before paying and hopping out of the car, holding out his hand to Hermione.

“You've pound notes in your purse, right? This show, if you like an entertainer’s performance, it’s customary to tip the performer during their performance. Usually the tip is one pound, but it can be higher.”

“I’ve never heard of that, but okay Harry. Have you been here before?” Her brows furrow a bit as she lets him help her from the car.

“A couple of times,” he admitted, “and it’s always fun. They're going to card us, so take out your ID. They like to be sure we're of drinking age here; or as I’ve heard it said a few times here, ‘you need to be legal to party’.”

The Masquerade, as it turned out, was a nightclub, with its usual line and bouncer that checked their identification and took their cover charge just inside the door. Once he'd led her into the main hall of the club, he scanned the area a moment, before taking a table near the stage. One with an excellent view. There were tea light candles arranged at each table, and looking up, Hermione could see several multicolored lights on the ceiling. The walls looked to have been decorated with small silver colored tiles, giving the impression of mirrors. The stage itself appeared to be a half circle, ending only a few feet from their table.

“What do you want to drink, Hermione? I’ll go get it from the bar.”

“White wine, I think Harry. You know my tolerance isn’t high for alcohol, so that’s all I think I can manage.” Hermione didn't really fancy a hangover in the morning, after all.

“They also have soft drinks, would you prefer one of those?”

“That’s even better, thank you.”

It was as Harry was returning to the table when he almost collided with another person who had been walking in the opposite direction, toward the back of the club. Hermione got up to head off the argument she thought was sure to happen, but as she approached, she heard some of their, remarkably, amicable conversation.

“No really, it’s okay. Just be a little more aware of things and people around here. The floor tends to get crowded as the evening gets on,” the stranger said.

“Thanks for that, um…sorry, I don’t know your name. I’m Harry Potter, and the brunette lady with me is Hermione Granger.” Harry nods to Hermione, who had appeared near his side.

“Pleasure to meet you, Harry, Hermione. You don’t mind that I call you that do you? We almost have the same name, after all. I’m Harry Pi, one of the performers for the night,” he said, chuckling at the blush on Hermione’s face.

“I’m sorry, but do you realize…” she began, trailing off, unable to continue at the blatant innuendo of 'Harry's' name.

“Actually I do, which is why I chose it for my stage name. But my last name isn’t spelled like the food, or p-i-e, but like the math symbol. A lot of the performers use a play on words when choosing a stage name here and at home. It helps the audience remember us.”

“It does make the names memorable,” Harry agreed, smiling a bit at the performer.

“As much as I’d like to stay and talk, I need to get back. I still have things to take care of before the show begins, which will be as soon as the host is ready. Please enjoy the show,” Harry Pi said, before turning to walk to the back of the brightly lit club, and presumably a dressing room for the performers.

Hermione turned to her best friend, a look of confusion on her face. Harry could see she was doing her best to figure things out, and began mentally counting down to when she would ask a question. He was only halfway through his countdown when she spoke.

“Is it just me, or did that performer sound like a woman? The face and body looked like a man’s, but the voice sounded female.”

“I’ll let you figure it out, Hermione. Let’s get back to the table. From what Harry Pi said, the show could begin anytime,” Harry said, smirking and leading her back to their table.

A few minutes later, the background music came to a stop, and a voice was heard through the club, more than likely through the speakers attached to the stage.

“Good evening everyone, and welcome to The Masquerade. We have a great show for you tonight, and to open the show let me introduce your host with the most, Mr. Nick Nightfall!”

As the lights of the club dimmed, the lights surrounding the stage raised, drawing the attention of the room as the curtain slowly opened, and a small runway began to extend from under the center of the stage. Hermione spotted several people standing and lining the runway, each with visible bills in their hand. As the host came into view, beginning to perform, she tuned into the music played, recognizing it as a song she'd heard on her parents' radio in the past. Raising a brow, thoroughly confused by it all, she looked at her friend.

“The host isn’t actually singing, Harry. He’s just moving his mouth to the words.”

“I know,” Harry smiles, laughter in his eyes. “This is a Drag show, so the performers lip sync the songs they perform, a bit like impersonators do. The entertainment is in the way they do it and their costume, as well as any dancing they do.”

Accepting the explanation, Hermione turned her full attention back to the show. As she listened to the song while watching the host, the music seemed to stutter, and a new song began playing. Although it was a completely different song, she could see the host making it appear as though this song was what he'd been performing all along, following the song change seamlessly. A moment later, when the music began to speed up, the host started toward the runway, where the people had lined up on either side. She saw the host stopping at each person at the runway for a moment, taking the money from each person with either a kiss to the cheek or a nod to the person. Hermione's mouth dropped open when, instead of simply walking back to the stage from the runway, the host waited for a moment when there were no lyrics to the song, and, after removing part of his costume and tossing it onto the main area of the stage, the host then smiled, and with a wink, back flipped from the runway to the stage. Picking up the part of the costume he had just removed, Hermione was certain he needed to turn it right side out, but he put it back on, showing a completely different pattern of decoration, and making it appear he was wearing a completely different costume. He again went down the runway as, unbelievably, another song began playing, sounding as if it cut right through the previous song. And still the host made the transition to the new song look seamless. He went back to the main area of the stage toward the end of the song, finishing with a bow.

Taking up a microphone, Nick began his nights' hosting duties.“Welcome to The Masquerade, ladies and gentlemen. As the DJ said, I’m Nick Nightfall, and I’m your host for the evening. I’m going to ask that you stay for a bit after the show is over, as we have a little contest for the performers based on your applause. The performer who gets the most applause at the end of the night will win the contest, taking home £50! We also have room tonight in the lineup for someone from the audience to join the show, to perform two sets instead of the three sets the rest of the performers will be doing. And,” he drawls, a smirk on his face as he lengthens the word, “they will be eligible for the cash prize at the end of the night too! So who wants to join the show? You just need to know two songs, and don’t worry, we don’t bite…much, or even very hard.” He gives the audience a salacious wink as laughter bubbles up around the joke.

Smirking, Harry slightly prodded Hermione so she jumped a little in her chair, turning to him with an incredulous look. She was also seen by the host, who walked toward the table.

“Looks like we have our volunteer for the hot spot, ladies and gentlemen. Have you ever been here before, beautiful?”

“No, this is the first time I’ve been to this club. My friend brought me when I said I needed a night out,” Hermione said, turning to glare at Harry.

“Oh, Lord, we have ourselves a Masquerade virgin. So before she gets in a tizzy, let’s bring out the next performer, Ken Dahl!” Nick claps as he heads off stage, prompting the audience to follow suit.

After Nick left, there was a moment of quiet before the music came on, and the next performer made their entrance. Hermione could see that this performer, whose name she'd missed, was quite good at holding the audience's attention. Their 'singing' seemed flawless, and she saw more than one person taking photos, or perhaps videoing the performance; and two people actually laid on the runway of the stage, holding bills between their teeth. Her mouth dropped open when she saw the performer adjust to this, dancing toward the first patron, dropping to their hands and knees, proceeding to crawl over, moving up the patron's body before taking the money with their teeth. In the next moment they're standing, sashaying to the other audience member, plucking the money away from them in a similar manner. With the ease of someone who's been on stage a time or two, they pop back onto their feet, still flawlessly in time with the song.

Cat calls and cheers fill the room, creating a bit of a cacophony. While Hermione is enthralled with the performance, Nick walks to their table. Leaning in to be heard over the music and audience, he grabs first Harry's then Hermione's attention.

“I need to take the young lady to the dressing room so she can get ready for her part of the show. Don’t worry, the other performers will help her,” the host explained.

Glaring a bit at Harry, Hermione followed the host to the back of the club and down some stairs. At the bottom of the stairs, he gestured toward an open door before going inside. Reluctantly, Hermione followed.

“Listen up, everyone! We have a hot spot performer for the night for two sets. Who wants to volunteer to help her get ready?” Nick asked, voice raised.

One of the performers turned, and Hermione saw what looked at first glance like a man, but from the makeup looked completely female. Hermione turned her head slightly as the person was only half dressed.

“I’ll be her Drag mother for the night, Nick, no worries,” the performer said.

“Good, and thank you, Melodie. I’ll let you finish getting ready. I need the next performer to come on stage after the one following Ken to tell me the stage name she’ll use, and whether she’s a King or a Diva. I also need to know if someone will be doing a set with her. She’ll be in second and third sets, everyone clear?”

Seeing everyone nod, the host left the room to go back up to the stage. Hesitantly, Hermione walked over to the performer who had volunteered to help her.

“Melodie, right? Thank you for this. I was basically just picked for this thanks to my friend at the table with me. I’ve never even been here before. My name is Hermione Granger.”

“Melodie Sommers, and you’re welcome. So you’re the one who was sitting with the black haired hottie, huh? Turn a little so I can see which would fit you better between King or Diva.”

Confused, Hermione turned slowly in a circle. Melodie nodded after a moment.

“With your slender figure, you’d fit well as a King. So, since I’m no good with names for Kings, need a bit of help with that. Hey, Harry, come here, will you please?”

Harry Pi sauntered over to where Melodie was sitting and picked up a small glass on the table before taking a sip, then looked at Melodie.

“What do you need, mom?”

“Harry is my Drag son, Hermione,” Melodie explained to the brunette, “Harry, Hermione would work well as a King. I know you always bring extra costumes for walking around in, so that isn’t an issue. What we need help with is a stage name.”

“Hmm. Your name is from Shakespeare, right Hermione?” Harry Pi asked. Hermione nodded in response.

“Nothing really that she can use from _A Winter’s Tale_ for stage, so what about something from _Romeo and Juliet_? One of the family names, maybe?” he suggested.

“You mean call herself something like Montague or Capulet?”

“The Capulets had a daughter, while the Montagues had a son, Melodie,” Hermione interjected.

“Capulet won’t work then, so what about Montague? No, even better, and it even has a comedic flavor to it. We cut Montague in half and use ‘Monty’ for the first name,” Harry Pi said.

Thinking it over, Hermione nodded in agreement.

“What about a last name, then?” she asked.

“Well, the names are Shakespearean in origin, so why not cut ‘Shakespeare’ in half for the last name and call you ‘Monty Shakes’ for stage?” Harry Pi suggested.

“That could work,” she agreed, “But what do I do on stage?”

“How’s your memory, Monty?”

“I remember what I read very well, why?”

“I’ll pull up lyrics for you to learn on my phone, and you can study them while I raid my makeup kit to help mom get you ready. She doesn’t have anything for making a beard, and some of her makeup may not work for you.”

“Harry, are you going to be performing a set with him?” one of the performers asked from the doorway.

“I’ll do a set with him, yes. Stage name is ‘Monty Shakes’.”

“I’ll tell Nick, since I’m about to go up.”

“Tell me something Monty, are you familiar with the song ‘ _It Wasn’t Me_ ’ by Shaggy?” Harry Pi asked.

“I’ve heard it before, yes. It’s a little hard for me to follow the spoken part however.”

“The spoken part is done by Shaggy. I can do that easily. Do you think you’d be able to do the other part, which sounds like singing? All you need to do is lip sync the words, no actual singing.”

“If I listen to the song a few times while reading the lyrics at the same time I think so.”

“Okay, then we have one song, now we just need to find a second song for you to do. And since mom looks impatient, we need to decide fairly quickly.”

“Well, of course, since I also have to finish getting ready myself. Monty, just tell my son what artist your favorite is, and he can pull up the songs he has on his phone for you to pick from. It’ll save time, just make sure you know all of the words to what you pick,” Melodie told Hermione.

“Male music artists, right?” Hermione asked.

“You’re going to be portraying a man on stage, so yes, male artists,” Harry Pi answered.

“Look, I still need to finish getting ready myself, so can we at least get him bound?” Melodie asked, eyebrow raised.

“I’m sorry, but what do you mean by _bound_ , exactly?” Hermione asks, a bit startled and nervous.

“We need to hide your ta-tas for the show, Monty. We do that by binding them down,” Harry Pi explained, “and one thing I need to know in order to do that is what size you are. If you aren’t comfortable saying that out loud, I can make a guess if you pull the blouse you’re wearing a bit tight around the bust area.”

“And it doesn’t hurt?” She confirms, not exactly relishing the idea of being uncomfortable while attempting something she's never done before. Pulling her blouse tight on either side of her ribs, she stood still while Harry Pi made his guess.

“Monty, this is Drag. If it doesn’t hurt somewhere, you aren’t doing it right,” Melodie chuckled.

“Mom, be quiet or you’ll scare him. Monty, if it’s done correctly, binding doesn’t hurt, it just takes a little while getting used to. It pulls off easily at the end of the night,” he reassures Hermione. “Mom, do you have a spare pair of socks or knee highs? I know you always have a few extra knee highs for makeshift wig caps,” Harry Pi said.

“Um, _socks_? Beyond what I would have on my feet?” Hermione squeaked.

“Yeah, but first, let’s get you bound. I still need to help you with your beard, and mom tends to get OCD about her stage makeup. I’ve seen her take everything off and redo it up to nine times because she didn’t like how her eyes looked before.”

Nodding, because she could see herself having to do that, Hermione reluctantly removed her blouse, setting it to the side. It was difficult to not hunch in on herself, or attempt to cover her scarring. She forced herself to remain upright and reached to undo her bra instead. However, before she was able to, Harry stopped her by holding up a hand.

“Okay, I’m going to assume due to the scar on your torso that you don’t want to do anything open shirt. That’s okay, it actually makes it a bit easier to bind you. Let me get my tape.”

Relieved, Hermione watches Harry Pi cross the room while mentally cursing _her_ Harry for getting her roped into this. Shaking her head, she sank into a chair beside Melodie. As the Drag performer tilted her head to and fro, to see what shade would be best for foundation, Harry Pi interrupted them.

“Just do his foundation, mom, I can do the highlight and contour. You know how to do Drag _Queen_ highlight, not Drag _King_.”

“Fuck you, Harry Pi,” Melodie said, grinning.

“You really want to go there mom? Fine. Where, when, how long, how hard, what position, do you want to be the Dom or the submissive, how much should I make it hurt, make you _like_ it, and _beg_ me for more?”

After a moment of silence, stunned silence on Hermione's part, everyone in the dressing room started laughing.

“Nah, you’d fall in love, I’d fall asleep, the world would just keep turning, and _then_ where would we be?” Melodie shot back.

“Hey, Melodie, when do you go on stage?” one of the other performers asked.

“I’m tenth in the lineup, which is why I need to get Monty here ready quickly, so I can get dressed.”

Melodie reached out and grabbed the foundation creams Harry Pi held out to her and watched in the mirror, fascinated, as Melodie used three different shades to make her face look more masculine. After she finished, she turned the chair toward Harry Pi, who took over with even more makeup, this time powders. More and more her face began to look male. It was after Harry Pi pressed white powder onto her face that he stopped briefly.

“Okay, to use a Drag term, we need to let your face ‘cook’ or ‘bake’ for a couple of minutes before we finish the makeup, so stand up so we can get you bound. You need to take off the bra, and then I’ll show you what to do so we can hide your chest, Monty.”

Nervously, Hermione removed her bra, and laid it on the chair. Glancing around, she saw no one was really paying attention to her as she stood there, and relaxed slightly.

“From the looks of it, you’re going to need four pieces of tape per side, same as me. I’ll tear the tape, and once that’s done, when I say ‘now’, raise one of your breasts up and bring it to the side as if you were trying to tuck it under your arm, but not so much that it feels painful, okay? Once I have both sides taped down, I’ll give you what looks like a tank top made of elastic. It’s a binder. You put that on over the tape. If at any time putting on the binder you can’t breathe, pull it off. Not everyone can wear one, and I don’t want you to risk having a problem.”

“Okay, I can do that. I think I know what song I want to do for my second song, but I don’t know if you have it on your phone,” Hermione said, taking a breath.

“Okay the tape is ready. Lift one side…now,” Harry Pi told her, efficiently placing the tape and wrapping the end to her back, pressing it down, “what song is it? I might have it on my phone, you never know.”

“Well, it was number one on the charts a few months ago. A song called ‘You Are Not Alone’ by Michael Jackson. It’s one of my favorites by him.”

Hearing this, Melodie burst out laughing. Confused, Hermione lifted a single brow, and Melodie explained.

“Monty, my Drag son there is probably one of the _biggest_ Michael Jackson fans in our hometown back in the United States. I doubt there’s a Michael Jackson song he _doesn’t_ have on his phone.”

“Melodie, Phoenix Fyre just went upstairs, so you need to get dressed. You follow the performer after Phoenix, remember,” Harry Pi reminded her.

“Got it. Good luck, Monty.”

After finishing the tape, Harry Pi handed Hermione the binder. It was difficult, but she managed to pull it on, straightening it slightly at the bottom with a small tug.

“Good, now sit down please, so I can look at the way your face is shaped with the contour. I need to make sure the beard I put on you matches well.”

After turning Hermione’s face from one side to another, Harry Pi sat down and pulled out a couple of makeup brushes, a small bottle of liquid, and what looked like a small bowl full of hair. Deftly, he used a brush to apply the liquid along Hermione’s jaw, starting just next to her ear, in a thin line, then a small triangle just under her lower lip. After finishing with the liquid, he picked up a second brush and used it to pick up some of the hair from the bowl, tapping it onto the liquid that he’d applied to Hermione’s face. Incredibly, the hair was sticking where he tapped. Seeing the look on her face, Harry Pi chuckled.

“Spirit gum. It holds the hair on for the entire night, instead of allowing it to fall off and ruining the illusion the way hair spray will at times. I have a remover for it to use after the show, don’t worry. After I finish with this, we need to pull up the songs you’ll do so you can listen to them while watching the lyrics, and then choose a couple of outfits for you to wear on stage. We also need a sock.”

“You never did explain why the sock was needed.”

“Okay, not to embarrass you or to be crude, but going on stage as a Drag King you have to look male head to toe, because some audience members _will_ look. So you really should have the same kind of slight bulge a man would have in front on the pants. The rolled up sock creates that bulge. In other words, and using an American term, the sock is your dick for the night.”

Blushing furiously, Hermione nodded her understanding. Finishing the beard, Harry Pi pulled out his phone and brought up the song he would perform with Hermione, making sure the earphones were attached.

“Here, listen to that, watching the words, and I’ll grab a costume for you. Be right back.”

Hermione studied the lyrics as the song played, doing her best to commit the words to memory. She repeated the song twice more, still reading along, and then a fourth time, trying to move her lips to the words. She was able to make sure she timed her lip sync correctly by the fifth listen of the song. Satisfied, she switched off the song and removed the earphones, then looked up to see Harry Pi standing there with what she assumed would be her costume for the first song.

“Do you know the words to ‘It Wasn’t Me’ yet?”

“I think so. I don’t think I made a mistake the second time I tried to lip sync it. At least for the voice that does the singing. I still can’t manage the spoken part Shaggy does, though.”

“I’ll be doing Shaggy’s part, don’t worry. You just need to concentrate on the singing voice. Do you know the spoken part for the intro of the song?”

“That part’s fairly simple, so yes, I can do it.”

“Good,” Harry Pi said, “then let’s get you into costume for the first song you’ll do, which will be that song with me. Then if you want to, you can spend a little more time with the black haired hottie Harry Potter you were sitting with before coming down here. I’ll be going on stage soon, so watch how I move around the stage and interact with the crowd. It’ll help when you’re out there yourself.”

“And I don’t need to go onstage yet?”

“No, you’re in second and third sets; we’re still in first set. I’ll let you know when you need to come with me to be ready to go on stage.”

“Okay, and when do I look at the lyrics for the second song?” Hermione asked, putting on the clothing Harry Pi handed her.

“You can do that directly after coming off stage when you finish the first song. I can ask Nick exactly when you’re supposed to go on stage for second set, in case you want to listen to ‘It Wasn’t Me’ once more before we go on. The DJ will have my phone to play the song after that.”

Nodding again, she finished dressing, and then looked in one of the full length mirrors. Her hair was still unruly, and down to her shoulders.

“What do we do about my hair? Isn’t it too long for a man’s?”

“That is what wigs are for, Monty. We pull your hair up and put it under a wig cap, then the wig. I have one in my suitcase that will work, don’t worry.”

Unsure, what with her hair being so unruly, , but trusting that an experienced performer would know what to do, Hermione pulled her hair up into her hands and to the top of her head. Seeing what she had done, Harry studied her a moment before shaking his head.

“On second thought, let's braid your hair against your head as well as we can, otherwise the way your hair is so curly the wig won't fit correctly, even using a wig cap.”

Blushing, and unable to keep in a laugh, Hermione let her hair fall before quickly and expertly parting and braiding it down tightly. Seeing what she had done, Harry took a few bobby pins from his makeup kit, and after winding the tails of the braids around Hermione's head like a coronet, secured the braids down with the pins. After Hermione's hair was secured, Harry picked up a wig cap from the dressing table, and pulled it over Hermione's hair before picking up the wig he'd brought from his suitcase.

“Monty, take a look inside the wig. Do you see the almost oval shape of closely placed stitches?”

Looking inside the wig, Hermione could see the area Harry was referring to easily and nodded.

“That is the part of the wig that is worn in front when putting a wig on. Now here's a trick a Drag Queen in my hometown told me for putting on a wig; fold it slightly up in back, and fit the oval on the inside at the center of your forehead. Once you've done that, tug it gently at the sides to line up with the tops of your ears, then fold the back of the wig down.”

Following Harry's instructions, Hermione pulled the wig on, and allowed Harry to adjust it slightly. With a small smile, he turned her chair so she could see what it looked like. Her eyes went wide in surprise.

“See the difference?” Harry Pi asked.

She did see the difference. She might resemble an unusually pretty man, much like Draco Malfoy, or even Harry Potter, but she did look like a man.

“Come on Monty, let’s get you upstairs. I still need to show you how to get to the backstage area. By the way, did you want to do the Michael Jackson song plain, or the way Michael Jackson does it in a concert?”

“What's the difference?”

“Doing it plain, you just go out and lip sync the words. Doing it what I call 'concert style', you'd need the help of a Drag Queen, and either another Drag King or a male entertainer in order to do it. The Drag Queen to play the part of the 'fan' you dance with on stage, and the Drag King or male entertainer to be the 'Security' to bring her on stage and remove her after the dance. I'll show you a video of what I'm talking about before you go on with it so you can decide and practice.”

After showing Hermione where the backstage area was, Harry Pi brought her back to the table where her best friend was sitting. Hiding a small smile, she took her seat next to Harry Potter. Hermione started mentally counting; she only managed to reach 'four' when he spoke.

“I'm sorry, but that seat is taken by my date.”

“You have a date here? Where is she, then? I could keep you company until she comes back,” Hermione said, trying to smother a laugh.

“Hermione? Is that you? You look so different!”

“For the show, call me 'Monty Shakes'. That's the name that was decided on in the changing room. Did you know there are a few people here who have described my date as a 'black haired hottie'? Really disconcerting to know that, even though I agree with them.”

“So when do you go on stage? I want to make sure I see it.”

“I go on with Harry Pi in what the host called the second set, and alone in the third set. I hope you're happy, Harry Potter. I've never performed on stage in my life, and thanks to you, I have to do it twice in one night,” she took a breath, hoping to keep her voice from becoming shrill, “I have no idea what I'm doing, and I'm more than likely going to mess up somehow, making a fool of myself.”

“Hermione, are you saying you're nervous?” A mischievous grin stealing over his face, making him look almost boyish.

“I'm not just nervous Harry, I'm bloody petrified. The only performing I've done in my life was playing the violin in my primary school orchestra, and that was in a large group of others. This time there's only going to be one other person with me, and I don't know what to do.”

“I've only watched Drag shows, so I wouldn't be any help. But I do know that the shows can be fun, so what if you just tried to have fun?”

Instead of answering, Hermione picked up her soft drink and took a sip. Her throat already felt dry with the nervous fear she felt, and her best friend thought it was fun. She was about to tell him off when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

“Excuse me, Monty, but my Drag son and I need to speak to you a moment,” Melodie Sommers said once Hermione had turned to look at her.

Harry frowned a bit, then looked at the Drag Queen behind Hermione.

“Your Drag son? I'm sorry, my name is Harry Potter. And you are?”

“I'm Melodie Sommers. My Drag son is Harry Pi, and he thought since Monty here was going to do a song with him, he might appreciate the opportunity to practice what they would do before they need to go on stage. Nice to meet you, Harry.”

“That would be great, Melodie, thank you. Where is he, because if I need to do anything in particular, I need to know what that is so I don't make a fool of myself later,” Hermione said, relieved.

“Come with me and I'll show you. Harry, it was nice to meet you, and either my Drag son or I will bring Monty here back in a little while.”

“I hope so. I'd rather have my date at the table with me than sit here by myself. Much more fun,” he nods, and waves Hermione off with a gentle smile.

Chuckling, Melodie led Hermione into a small area just off the dressing room. She was relieved to see Harry Pi was already waiting, with his phone in his hand.

“Harry, we need to attach the small speaker to your phone so Monty can hear the music. I don't think I have a spare set of earbuds for him to use.”

“You're going to be here too, right, Mom?”

“Of course. Who else could call you on it if you screw up the song while practicing?”

“Damn Drill Instructor is what you are. One of the most evil Drag Queens in our hometown back in the States. Monty, be warned, Melodie here has a habit of turning off a song and restarting it from the beginning if you miss a word while practicing.”

“And why not?” Melodie asks. “Isn't that what helped the _both_ of us gain the reputations for _never_ missing a word in a song, no matter how fast the lyrics are? And don't joke about being a Drill Instructor; you know my time in the USMC meant the world to me until I was discharged.”

“Can we just practice, please? I really don't fancy making a fool of myself tonight,” Hermione spoke up, nervousness threading through her voice.

“You know the song begins with knocking on a door before the spoken introduction, so we just pantomime that, okay Monty? Mom, start the music.”

Watching between Melodie Sommers and Harry Pi, Hermione noticed Melodie using small hand signals that would be followed by Harry Pi turning, or walking toward Hermione, all the while moving his mouth to the words. After the third time practicing the song, Hermione's curiosity got the better of her, and she spoke up while Harry Pi was turned away from her taking a sip of his beverage.

“Harry, why is Melodie using hand signals? There isn't a third person in the song from what I could tell.”

When he didn't answer, she repeated herself, walking forward to tap him on the shoulder, and ignoring Melodie who was trying to get her attention.

“What is it, Monty? Question about the routine, or do you think you know what to do now?” Harry Pi asked, turning to look at her.

“Why was Melodie using hand signals while we were practicing? I noticed you would move a certain way when she was moving her hands. Is something wrong?”

“No, it's nothing wrong Monty. Melodie always helps me practice a choreography routine for a song that way. That way I know what to do when during the song by muscle memory. You see, I perform the songs I do using the vibrations from the stage I'm on, and need to know before I go on stage what choreography to do for a song, so Melodie helps with that,” he responded, looking sheepish.

“Using vibrations from the stage? What about the music? I don't understand. I practiced the song using your phone.”

“Yes, and it was a lyrics video, right? That's how I learn the songs, Monty. I'm almost completely deaf, so use lyrics videos to learn the words, and vibrations to help with the tempo and my cues when performing. What I am able to hear sounds like the buzzing of bees to me, and that isn't even taking into consideration my Cerebral Palsy affecting how I walk,” Harry Pi explained.

“I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry,” Hermione said, contritely.

“I don't mind. I would rather someone ask me point blank than just stare and try to decide what was wrong without even trying to get the right information. Melodie is fond of saying I'm like an open book that way. But now that we've gone over the routine, do you think you'll remember what to do, or do you want to go over it once more? I'm pretty sure your date would like to spend at least some of the time you're both here with you.”

“I can remember, but I'm also nervous. My only experience in performing was playing violin in my primary school orchestra. What if I go out on the stage and freeze?”

“Monty,” Melodie began, “the best way to get over stage fright is channeling the fear into what you do on stage; it will give you more energy to make the song come alive for the audience. There are also a couple of tricks I told Harry here about when he debuted as a Drag King. Look over the heads of the audience so you see the lights being used for any spotlights or special effects; the audience will see that as looking at them, and respond better to the song. If that doesn't work, you could scan the audience for the person you came with tonight, and keep him in your field of vision; that can help keep you calm because you know you have a friend here. And if all else fails, picture the audience in their underclothes. You'll be so focused on trying not to laugh you'll forget about being scared.”

“You also need to begin the song looking at me,” Harry Pi commented, a small smile on his face. “I won't let you mess up, so just watch me for any cues you need for what to do when. Okay? When I go out the first time to collect tips, you follow during your part of the song, and we'll take turns until the song is over. Then we both bow and leave the stage.”

“And the second song I do? If I do it the way Michael Jackson does it in concert, I need help, and need to practice that too.”

“You're doing 'You Are Not Alone', right? Do you know that song well enough to at least recite all of the words without looking at lyrics?” Melodie asked.

“Yes I do. I sing along when it's on the wireless while visiting my parents.”

“Fine. I can be the 'fan' you dance with, and Harry can be the Security that pulls me off the stage after the dance. I don't ordinarily do something like this with a performer that could be considered a member of my Drag family, and I did tell the host you'd be my Drag son for the night, but I'll make an exception for you since it's your first night on stage like this,” Melodie volunteered, before turning to leave the practice area.

“I'll take you back to your table, Monty. I want to get another soft drink from the bar as well as talk to the DJ. I should be coming on stage soon for this set and need to be upstairs anyway,” Harry Pi chuckled.

After taking Hermione back to the table with Harry, Harry Pi turned and headed to the backstage area. Knowing what she did now, Hermione leaned closer to her best friend.

“We need to tip Harry Pi no matter what. What's a standard amount for a show like this Harry?”

“Usually at least a pound, maybe more. Depends on the performer. Why?”

The host walking out onto the stage kept Hermione from answering briefly.

“Our next performer is someone who traveled a bit to be here tonight. All the way from the United States, please welcome Mr. Harry Pi!”

As the music started, Hermione and Harry watched as Harry Pi sauntered out on the stage. Hermione recognized the song, as it was one of her mother's favorite's; ' _Daniel_ ' by Elton John. As she watched, it seemed that while Harry Pi was moving from one side of the stage to the other, he was also staying close to the front of the stage. So far, she hadn't seen him falter on the words, so after nudging her best friend, she stood to walk over to the stage to tip him. Out of the corner of her eye, she noted that her best friend had also stood to tip Harry Pi. After they sat down again, having gotten a hug and handshake respectively for the tips, Hermione looked at Harry.

“You were right, Harry, this is fun to watch. I'm still a bit irritated that you managed to get me into the show tonight, but I'm having fun.”

“So why the insistence for tipping Harry Pi?”

“How well would you say he's performing that song?”

“Very well, actually. He's basically replicating what Elton John does as far as the costume, minus the piano, of course. He also makes it look as though he's actually singing it. So beyond an exceptional performance, why the insistence to tip him?”

“During our practicing, Harry Pi told me something that makes his performance even more incredible. He's almost completely deaf, and relies on the vibrations of the stage from the music playing to give him his cues for a song. I'm also amazed how well he moves around the stage; he also told me he has a disability called Cerebral Palsy.”

“You're kidding me, right?” Harry asked, astonished.

“Not kidding you at all. I asked about it when I noticed the Drag Queen Melodie Sommers using hand signals with him while we practiced.”

As he song ended, Harry took Hermione's hand, pulling her up as he stood to applaud. As several audience members began to follow their lead, Harry signaled by nodding his head that he wanted to leave the table for a moment. Smiling slightly, Hermione followed him away from the table.

They caught up with Harry Pi just as he was leaving the backstage area, and Harry offered a large smile.

“Excellent performance, Harry. I almost thought you were channeling Sir Elton John himself a few times,” he told the Drag King.

“Thank you. That's actually one of the favorite songs of a Show Director back in Melodie's and my hometown in the United States. Since my job is to help an audience have fun while in a venue, I try to choose songs they'll like,” Harry Pi said, a small smile curving his mouth for a moment, while his eyes showed his appreciation.

“Now that you've finished until the next part of the show, what are you supposed to do, or are you supposed to do anything?” Hermione asked.

“Well, I have a little time until the second set begins, which means Monty here should review the song we'll be doing together, since the host has you placed as the third person on stage that set. Just make sure you know the words, Monty; that's what's important. You're already in costume for the set, so don't need to change. I need to relax my nerves for a moment, so I'm going to step outside to have a cigarette before changing. Bad habit, I know, but it gives me something to do with my hands that doesn't involve fidgeting, and the spasticity actually isn't as bad while I smoke. So I use it to calm my nerves the night of a show. If you need them, I have the lyrics printed out for you, and marked for each section which one of us does that part.”

As Hermione watched, she could see what Harry Pi was referring to as he shifted his weight from foot to foot before running his hand along the back of his neck.

“I'm sorry, but 'spasticity'? What's that?” Harry asked.

“I have Cerebral Palsy. It has several different types and levels of severity. I know some people who are in wheelchairs who have Cerebral Palsy. Those cases are of course, severe. The kind I have weakens my right side, and is known as 'spastic'. What that means is, there are times when a part of my body, although it's usually a hand or finger, will start to move erratically side to side without my intending to move it. In other words, the muscles in a part of my body will spasm, causing it to move,” he explained a stoic expression on his face.

“I hope you didn't think I was being intrusive,”Harry said apologetically.

“Honestly, I'd rather someone asked instead of assuming the worst. I don't mind questions.”

“Harry, you've been here before, do they sell anything beyond drinks? I'd like a small snack if possible. I know we had dinner before coming here, but I'd like a snack,” Hermione asked, turning to her best friend.

“It's been a little while since I've been here, so I don't remember. We could ask at the bar, however. Come on, and we'll find out.”

After agreeing to meet with Harry Pi at the beginning of the next set, Hermione followed Harry to the bar. They were relieved to find out the venue did sell some foods as well as beverages, and soon were back at their table. While Harry had gotten a large order of nachos, Hermione opted to get a small sandwich. She didn't want to accidentally get what she was eating all over her borrowed costume.

They had just finished eating when the lights in the venue, which had been slightly dimmed, brightened. They looked up, curious what was happening, when they saw the show host walk out onto the stage.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we have finished the first set. However, the show is not over, we still have two more sets for you tonight. The performers will take a short break to prepare for the next set, and then the show will resume. Until then, the DJ will be playing music, should any of the audience wish to dance during the break. Thank you.”

Wiping her hands and mouth on her napkin, Hermione stood, with Harry standing a moment later.

“Something wrong, Hermione?”

“No, I'm just going to the lavatory before I need to meet Harry Pi. Don't worry, I'll be fine.”

A few minutes later, Hermione was back at the table. She still was trying to adjust to knowing she would be going on stage to perform in front of the audience soon, so began to do some slow breathing to calm down.

“Hermione, you'll do fine, don't worry. No one here will expect you to be experienced; we all saw the host add you to the show at the last minute. Just try to relax.”

Taking a small sip of her soft drink, Hermione nodded. She was going to try to make the best of the situation, but she was still going to pay her best friend back for getting her into this. The only questions would be how and when. A small tap on her shoulder had her turning her head.

“Monty, my Drag son asked me to bring you to the backstage area. The second set is about to begin, and the two of you need to be in place, since you'll be third on the stage with him,” Melodie Sommers informed her, after nodding to Harry.

“Okay. I have time to go over the words again, don't I? Just in case?” Hermione asked nervously.

“Of course. He already has the song pulled up on his phone. Because of the beginning of the song, the curtains might be drawn to let you get into position, but that's all. Harry will explain it to you.”

After taking Hermione backstage, Melodie returned to the table where Harry was sitting.

“Don't worry about your date; my Drag son will help her. It wasn't that long ago he was having his own first time on a stage as a Drag King. So he knows what she's going through.”

“Thank you. Are you supposed to perform soon? Also, if you don't mind me asking, why the dressing gown?”

“You mean my housecoat? It's to prevent the audience from seeing my costume before I go on stage. Some audience members are able to guess a song based on the costume, and in my hometown in the United States, if they know what song you'll perform before you go on, they have no reason to watch your performance. It has a decidedly adverse effect on the tips an entertainer can earn during a show when that happens at home. And to answer your other question, I'm supposed to be on stage shortly after your date. There's one performer between us, with Monty being on stage third, I'll be on stage fifth.”

“Thank you, I wasn't sure when Hermione would be on stage. She's a little irritated with me for the way she ended up in the show tonight.”

“Hoping to find a way to coax her out of being irritated?” Melodie asked knowingly.

“I went to school with Hermione. Even in school she could be scary when angry. Utterly brilliant in school, but also scary.”

“I see. Well, if you'll excuse me, I need to take care of one or two things before the second set begins, which should be in a few minutes. And don't worry, you'll still be able to spend time with your date. Monty might need to practice his song for the last set and change, but the rest of the time there's no rule that says your date can't be with you.”

“Thank you for that. I wanted her to have fun tonight, which is one of the reasons I brought her to see the show.”

After Melodie walked away, Harry decided to get another drink and walked to the bar. He had just gotten back to his table when the lights dimmed again and the stage curtain closed. A moment later, the DJ's voice could be heard.

“Welcome everyone, to the second set of the show here at The Masquerade. Starting the set is our Host with the Most, Mr. Nick Nightfall!”

The curtain opened, and Harry could see the stage was obscured slightly with what looked like fog. As the audience watched, a hand emerged from the fog, as though the hand belonged to someone lying in a prone position on the stage. As the music began, people began to line either side of the runway of the stage, tip money in hand. Harry wasn't able to recognize the song being performed, but believed the costuming Nick used, which resembled either a fallen angel in tattered robes or a demon to him, was outstanding. In just a few moments, people were lining up to hand him tips, and as soon as one audience member left to sit down, another took their place. The music was pulsing with a recurring beat of drums, and giving a decidedly dark feel to the song, which Nick was emphasizing, not only with his costume, but the way he prowled around the stage, giving the impression he was searching for a lost soul to claim. Even from a few feet away at his table, Harry could see the effort Nick was putting into the performance, as a slight sheen of sweat appeared on his face and what could be seen of his torso. Almost as if compelled by the power of the performance, Harry went to the runway, tip money in hand.

After finishing the song, the host walked to the side of the stage, and after briefly using a small towel to dry the perspiration from his face, he took the microphone from the DJ.

“I hope everyone is enjoying themselves tonight. We at The Masquerade try to bring you a great show every time, and those behind the bar do their best to bring you the best in food and various beverages. One thing I want to remind everyone about is, if there are any problems, the nightclub employs a Security staff who walk around the nightclub and can be identified by the emblem on the shirts they wear. Please go to them with any issues rather than trying to deal with it yourselves. Also, our bar staff has a list of numbers to call for a ride home if anyone feels they wouldn't be able to drive. We would rather lock up your car and pay for you to arrive home safely than allow someone to risk being involved in a drunk driving incident. Now, to continue with the show, our next performer is a good friend of mine, a sister in spirit, so please welcome to the stage, Miss Diamond Dreams!” Nick announced, drawing out the performer's name, and with a louder voice than he'd used for the rest of his opening remarks.

Harry watched the Drag Queen come out on stage, marveling at how well the entertainer opened her song. He wouldn't have expected someone dressed like Maleficent to be able to produce sparks from her hands unless she was a witch. Looking around, he didn't see any Obliviators, so assumed the entertainer had a prop of some kind to allow her to do that. Just in case he was wrong, he got up to walk around the nightclub to make sure they hadn't Apparated to an area he couldn't see right away. Seeing nothing wrong, he went back to his table just as the entertainer's song ended and the curtain closed. A moment later, he heard the host once again.

“Thank you Diamond Dreams, we always love having you here. Our next performer is not only a Masquerade virgin, it's also his first time performing in a show like this. He was literally chosen to perform for you tonight just before the show began. So, please give a warm Masquerade welcome to Mr. Monty Shakes, who is pairing up for this song with Mr. Harry Pi!”

As the curtain opened, Harry walked over to the runway, a few pound notes already in hand. Watching Hermione, he could see she was still nervous, but kept her eyes on Harry Pi. He almost choked when he heard the song they were performing. “It Wasn't Me” by Shaggy was a fun song, but given the fact Hermione was playing the part of the man who had been caught cheating by his girlfriend, not one he would expect Hermione to know. He began separating the notes in his hand to be able to tip both Hermione and Harry Pi as they took turns coming down the runway during the song. He also noticed that the longer she was on stage, the more Hermione began to relax. She was using hand gestures and her facial expressions to make the audience believe she actually was a young man who was asking a friend how to get out of trouble with his girlfriend after being caught cheating, and it was actually working. She wasn't dancing as other performers had, but then neither was Harry Pi. It almost appeared as though the pair on the stage was performing a skit set to music. He caught Hermione's eye as she came down the runway to collect tips, and he saw with amusement, as well as a bit of apprehension that she had her eyes narrowed at him. He could also see she was relaxing even further, despite being on a stage in front of a group of strangers. He grinned, because helping his best friend relax had been one of his goals tonight. He saw quite a few others lining up to tip the pair on stage, and simply held up more pound notes, separating them into tips between Harry Pi and Hermione. By the time the song ended, he could see a smile on Hermione's face as she walked forward with Harry Pi to take a bow. Harry looked around at the crowd, then back at Hermione and began applauding, watching as others in the audience followed his example.

As the pair left the stage, Nick once again was heard as he picked up the microphone.

“If you don't mind, before I announce the next performer, I'd like Monty Shakes and Harry Pi to come back out on stage for a moment.”

Harry Pi and Hermione came back onto the stage to stand beside Nick. Harry could see the confusion on Harry Pi's face, and the rising anxiety on Hermione's. The audience didn't have long to wait to find out why the show host had called two performers back onto the stage.

“The two of you just gave the best performance I've seen of that song in a while. When you take into account that Monty Shakes was chosen for the show last minute, giving you both very little time to prepare, it's even more outstanding. In my opinion, your performance is on par with performers who have been performing together for _years_ , not a mere two hours. Congratulations to you both! Come on, everyone, let's give these two another round of applause!”

As the audience again applauded, Hermione and Harry stepped forward and took a second bow, before waving to the crowd and again leaving the stage. As he promised, Harry Pi escorted Hermione back to the table where her best friend was sitting, a wide smile on his face. After the applause finally died down, Nick again spoke to the audience.

“Now to introduce the next performer; please welcome to the stage, The Masquerade's own, Miss Kandee Kane!”

Harry Pi waited until the performer finished, using the few moments before Melodie would be on stage to get both Harry and Hermione's attention, leaning in a bit to be heard over the noise of the crowd.

“According to the lineup sheet in the DJ booth backstage, Monty here is the first performer to go on after Nick in the third set. Because of the song Monty chose for third set, he'll need to come to the dressing room when Phoenix Fyre is announced for this set, because he not only has to change costumes, the artist requires a makeup change, and that will take a few minutes. Okay?”

Hermione nodded her understanding, and took a sip of her soft drink, while Harry smiled in thanks. He was prevented from saying anything by Nick's voice on the microphone.

“Our next performer is another visitor from across the pond. All the way from the United States, please welcome Miss Melodie Sommers!”

As Melodie sauntered to the center of the stage, Harry Pi grinned widely before looking at the pair seated at the table.

“Excuse me, but if I don't tip my Drag mother, not only will she have my hide, I'll never hear the end of it.”

Hermione glanced at Melodie, and her eyes opened wide, partially in amazement, and partially because the costume was, to put it mildly, daring, consisting of a fishnet bodysuit, knee high black boots, a leather jacket, and a couple of gold chains. To Hermione, it appeared the only concession to modesty was the wide black vee shape running down the front of the costume. She was still speechless with shock when Harry Pi stopped at their table briefly, a highly amused smile on his face.

“If there's one thing I can say about my Drag mother, she knows Cher costuming like no one else I know. Even I had no clue she was planning to perform 'If I Could Turn Back Time'. However, she does fall into a mindset that she does a 'blast from the past' song from time to time. I just hope she doesn't break an ankle; the stage is a bit slippery because it's so smooth from the coating on the wood, and she doesn't need to slip in those boots. You two have fun, and I'll catch up with Monty to help him change when Phoenix goes on as agreed.”

Still trying to adjust to seeing someone wearing a 'barely there' piece of clothing in front of dozens of people, as well as calm down following her own performance, which saw her breathing and heartbeat speed up, as well as her perception of her surroundings becoming hyper aware, she chanced a glance at Harry. He was watching Melodie's performance, which saw her prowling around the stage, and occasionally bending backward during parts of the song, mouth slightly open and eyes wide. Leaning closer, she gave him a tap to the back of his head.

“Close your mouth Harry, before you manage to catch a fly in it. Honestly! Didn't you tell me this is a Drag show? And that the costumes were part of what the performers used to make it fun for the audience?”

Rubbing his head where Hermione had tapped him, and he really needed to talk to her about how hard she did that later, he focused on his friend.

“I'm not saying I'm not shocked at the costume myself, because I am; it shows more than I would ever feel comfortable with myself unless I happened to be on a beach somewhere, but think about it for a moment. Wouldn't Melodie be a Drag Queen, the way Harry Pi-and myself for this evening, thanks to you-are Drag Kings?”

Harry opened his mouth to reply, then a moment later closed it with an almost audible snap, his face going red in chagrin. He _had_ been focusing on the costume Melodie was wearing, rather than the song she was performing. Chuckling at himself, he stood from the table.

“I really hate it when you're right, you know. I'm going to get another drink from the bar. Do you want another soft drink?”

“Yes please, and thank you.”

After Harry returned with her soft drink, they settled in to watch the show once more. Hermione had to admit to herself that while she had been nervous about going on stage, it had also been fun. It was something that allowed her to, for a brief time, forget about the problems at work and the reputation she had as ' _THE Hermione Granger, best friend of Harry Potter, and the Brains of the Golden Trio_ '. After thinking about it a few more minutes, she leaned closer to Harry.

“Okay, I forgive you for getting me into this, but if you _ever_ do anything like that again, there _will_ be payback.”

“I understand. Now let's watch the show; some of the performers are really good.”

As Melodie Sommers was still on stage, Hermione raised a brow, not entirely convinced it was the performance Harry had been watching. Despite being in the dressing room herself, it was still fascinating to her the way a person could use some makeup, tape, accessories, and in the case of the Drag Queens, foam rubber padding, to realistically make themselves look like the opposite sex; something Harry had apparently forgotten. As Melodie finished her performance by lying back on the stage with one knee raised, her foot flat on the stage, the audience began applauding. After getting up and smiling, she dropped a curtsy and left the stage, waving to the audience. Nick was soon back on the stage to introduce the next performer, and making a show of leaning back to look toward the backstage area where Melodie had just gone.

“Damn, you'll have to pardon my brief distraction folks, but it's not often I see a performer able to pull off a costume like that-and if Melodie lets me pull off that costume later, I'll be a happy guy,” he joked, causing the audience members to chuckle, “but now I need to introduce the next performer. Please welcome to the stage Miss Brandi James!”

As the next performer came on stage, Harry noticed Hermione beginning to fidget. Her leg was bouncing and she was worrying her napkin with her fingers. Touching her arm, he got her attention.

“We don't need to watch every performer, you know. Did you want to walk around the club for a few minutes?”

Hermione nodded gratefully and stood up. So far, the most she'd seen of the nightclub had been the dressing room for the performers, the small area around their table, and the backstage area. Walking around to see the rest of the club sounded fun. Smiling, she put her hand on Harry's elbow.

“So are you having fun so far? I know poking you to get you to picked for the show was not one of my best ideas, but the couple of times I've been here, the performers have been really nice and easy to talk to; I thought it might be a way to keep you from focusing on just staying at our table, and we could both possibly make a few more friends. Also, admit it; you haven't thought about work all night, right?”

“Yes Harry, I'm having fun. Although if Harry Pi hadn't been with me, I would likely have just stood on the stage, frozen with fright. He told me to keep my eyes on him when the music started; after that, I was concentrating on remembering the words to the song, giving me no time to be afraid. The way the lights used for the stage are positioned, while I could see the audience, the people were slightly obscured because the lights were so bright and from my perspective, almost directly in my eyes, so I was able to -slightly-relax a bit. But it was still nerve wracking.”

They were still listening to the music being played; Hermione needed to pay attention to who was on stage to know when to meet Harry Pi to change costume for the last set, after all. They found themselves at the front of the main room, and on the opposite side of the room from the stage located near the back of the room, close to doors marked for emergency exit use, when Hermione saw a small alcove equipped with a curved couch and small oval shaped table. When she nodded toward the alcove, Harry nodded and led her up the few steps to sit down.

“I think this is one of the VIP seating areas; there are a few of them along the walls here, and unless they're designated as reserved for someone with a sign on a table, I don't think anyone will mind if we sit here a moment. Some of the performers were using these alcoves to relax between sets when I was here the last time.”

“So what else is here? I've seen the performer's dressing room and the backstage area already.”

“Well, this nightclub has two floors for patrons. This floor is where the shows take place, events like costume contests for Halloween, New Year's Eve parties, and other holiday events, as well as the odd stag or hen parties. The second floor is purely a dance floor with a small bar. I went to the second floor the first time I came here, and the flashing lights on the dance floor gave me a headache, they were moving so quickly.”

Hermione was about to respond when both heard Nick's voice on the microphone.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to introduce that daring dancer, the one and only, Mr. Phoenix Fyre!”

“Harry Pi said I needed to meet him in the dressing room when this performer was announced so I could change and practice. I need to go,” Hermione said, standing and taking a deep breath to calm her nerves.

“I'll walk with you as far as our table. Will you be alright after that?”

“I should be; the dressing room isn't that far from our table. I'm just nervous about being on stage again; it reminds me of how we reacted when we first met Fluffy, to give you an idea.”

“I _really_ did not need that reminder, Hermione. Go get changed and practice with Harry. I'll be right here watching when you're on stage.”

When Hermione entered the dressing room, she was reminded of the night of the Yule Ball in her fourth year. Almost every available chair was occupied by someone in a some state of undress, and most were in the process of putting on makeup. She was just about to ask where Harry Pi was when he looked up from tying his shoes and saw her.

“Monty, you're just in time. Come over here, we need to change your makeup for the last set,” he instructed, waving her over and pulling one of the few unoccupied chairs closer.

“Why do we need to change the makeup? I was under the impression I was supposed to wear this fake beard the entire show,” she inquired, sitting in the chair provided, a look of mild confusion on her face.

“Ordinarily, that would be true,” Harry began, pulling a bottle reading 'Spirit Gum Remover' from the makeup box on the table, as well as several tissues and cotton balls, before wetting a cotton ball with the liquid and pressing it to Hermione's face, “but there are some artists, such as Michael Jackson, Sir Elton John, members of The Beatles if you want to go back a few decades, who don't have beards, mustaches, or goatees, so wearing a beard on stage isn't always appropriate. To give you an example, I wasn't wearing a beard when I performed ' _Daniel_ ', was I?”

“Well, no, you weren't. But you're wearing one now,” Hermione replied.

“Because I was performing a song by Sir Elton John. I ordinarily do wear a beard when I perform, but for some artists, wearing a beard wouldn't be believable”, Harry explained, using a tissue to wipe away the false beard from Hermione's face, “so, Drag performers change their makeup to give themselves a look that best fits the song. Here”, he said, handing her an open jar, “this is makeup remover. Wipe some of this all over your face, and then use a few tissues to wipe it off. Once you've done that, I can apply the makeup you'll need for the next set. Mom, you also need to practice with Monty and me; you did say you'd help with his song this set.”

“I remember, Harry. Don't worry Monty, just relax and have fun with it. Remember, Nick said your first song was the best he'd seen it done in a while. We just need to practice the choreography, just like you did with Harry for the first song. I've seen the video of how Michael Jackson does that song in concert, and the dancing with the 'fan' is basically a waltz with a few turns added, nothing complicated to remember. Watch the video a few times and you can see what to do for the rest of it; again , nothing complicated,” Melodie assured Hermione, before turning back to Harry, “need help with the makeup?”

“Mom, if Monty was going to perform a Frank N Furter song from Rocky Horror Picture Show, I'd turn him over to you in a split second; with the experience you have playing that part at home, you'd know better than I would how to do a 'Frank face', but this is _Michael Jackson_. I think between the two of us, I can handle it.”

“Fine, fine, finish the makeup so the three of us can practice after Monty changes. Nick has been in the dressing room the last few minutes, and you know the last set will start as soon as he's ready,” Melodie said with a huff.

“Don't worry, Monty, I'm almost finished with the makeup, then we can get you changed. Go ahead and watch the video a couple of times so you know what to do,” Harry said, after a brief glare at Melodie.

“Harry, how long do you think before Monty is ready?” Nick asked from his dressing table,”because I can take my time for a few moments to let you get him ready. He needs to go backstage when I do, remember.”

“Give me ten minutes to finish his makeup and get him changed, then another five to go over his song with him, Nick. Melodie and I are helping him, but won't be lip syncing; we're basically extras for his number,” Harry explained.

“Good enough; I'll start the set in a half hour then. That should be enough time for you all to get everything taken care of and come backstage. Introduction of you and Melodie with Monty or a simple mention after the song?”

“Mention after the song please, Nick. After our parts in his song are over, Melodie and I need to change for our own songs; we won't be on stage with him the whole time.”

When Harry turned Hermione's chair to show her the finished makeup, she tilted her head, brows pulling together in confusion, and looked over at Harry.

“I'm confused. You put eyeliner, a light colored eye shadow, blusher, and a pale colored lipstick on me. Aren't I supposed to look like a man? Even with the darker makeup you used for-I think you called it contouring?-how does this help me look like Michael Jackson?”

“Because when he was younger, Michael Jackson was diagnosed with a condition called vitiligo. His skin tone began to leech away, making parts of his skin look pale, so he began to use cosmetics to make it appear he had a natural skin tone. That's actually the real reason he began using the sequined glove; the vitiligo began in his hands. Trust me, with the costume, you'll have a good enough resemblance to him for the show. Now let's get you changed.”

Harry handed Hermione a pair of black trousers with a single white stripe over each outseam, and a vee neck white tee shirt. After Hermione put those on, Harry handed her a black patterned shirt that looked almost transparent, helping her put it on.

“Don't button or tuck in the black shirt, that's how it should be worn for this song. I would have handed you the gold lame trousers, but they would have had to be pinned at the bottom for length, and it wouldn't have held up for the whole song. Come on, Melodie, we need to practice,” Harry declared, already beginning to walk to the practice area.

“I can't believe you're actually letting Monty borrow your costume replicas, Harry. You won't even let me near them,” Melodie remarked, eyes wide.

“Costume replicas? What do you mean?” Hermione asked, curiosity piqued.

“She means, Monty, that I ordered that costume from a website that makes replicas of the costumes Michael Jackson has either worn in a video, or on stage in concert. It's typed as all one word on a computer, but the name of the website is Michael Jackson Celebrity Clothing. And with certain costumes in my wardrobe, I don't usually loan them out. One bit of advice: don't go onto the runway for tips until after I pull Melodie off the stage following the dance with her; it gives the audience something to anticipate delaying collecting tips.”

“Harry?” Nick began from the entrance of the practice area, “when you say replicas, does that mean what I think it does?”

“Nick, if you're asking if the costume Monty is wearing is something that could be considered 'officially licensed', I can't tell you, because I don't know. What I do know is that website supplies costumes for professional impersonators, made to look as close to identical to what Michael Jackson wears on stage as possible.”

After a moment, Nick seemed to shake himself out of his shock, and nodded in the direction of the stage.

“I'll be starting the final set in fifteen minutes, so you need to be ready to go backstage then, everyone clear?”

As they all nodded in understanding, Harry turned on the lyrics video and began watching Hermione. When she began at the right time, he gave her a thumbs up, and kept an eye on the lyrics. At the right time, he 'walked' Melodie a few steps forward, then let go, allowing her to 'run' into Hermione's arms. From what he could see, Hermione was doing well; it was possible she wouldn't need another run through of the song to practice. At the end of the song, Hermione looked toward Harry.

“How did I do? Should I practice more?”

“Monty, I didn't see you make a single mistake with the words; that's what's important. If necessary, Melodie can give you verbal clues for the dancing in your ear for that section after she runs into your arms, and the rest of the choreography can be as simple as making sure you go from one side of the stage to the other. You can watch the video while Nick is on stage if you like to be sure of what to do when.”

Sighing in relief, Hermione nodded before turning to Melodie.

“Thank you for helping with this; I appreciate it, Melodie.”

“You're welcome, Monty. All of us were brand new to the stage at one point. Now if you will excuse me, I'm going to visit the lavatory before the set begins.”

“Then you may want to hurry, Melodie. Nick already said he's starting the final set in a few minutes.”

Nodding, Melodie left the practice area, and Harry gave Hermione a small smile. “You'll do just fine, Monty. You know the song word for word, and Melodie can help if you need it. Now let's find Nick so I can let him know Melodie will be slightly delayed, then go backstage.”

Harry was waiting for the final set to begin, and decided to get another drink from the bar. He was almost back to his table when he saw Melodie Sommers entering the lavatory, and his brows drew together in confusion. Why would a Drag Queen enter a women's lavatory? Setting his drink down on the table, he walked toward the lavatory, just as the lights dimmed to signal the beginning of the next set. Harry Pi and Hermione were just about to enter the backstage area when Hermione saw Harry tap Melodie's arm as she passed him.

“We should find out what's going on over there. Harry doesn't always have very good control of his temper, and from what I can see of his face, he's either really confused, or really mad.”

Harry Pi and Hermione had just reached the pair, noting that Nick had just begun his song, when Hermione heard what Harry was saying.

“I'm not trying to start trouble, I'm just confused. I would have expected to see a Drag Queen come out of the men's lavatory here, but you came out of the one the women use. I don't understand,” he said, voice strident.

“I promise, it was nothing untoward. I'll give both of you the full explanation, but as my Drag son and I are helping Monty with his song, I don't have time right now. Are you willing to wait until then? Monty goes on stage after Nick, so we should be going backstage now.”

After sharing a brief look, Harry and Hermione nodded, Harry's face still showing his confusion. The three who were about to go on stage got to the backstage area just as Nick finished his performance.

“Thank you everyone, for coming to the show tonight, and welcome to the final set of the evening,” he said after picking up the microphone, “unfortunately, one or two of our performers needed to leave early, so this set will be shorter than the first two. Please don't think these performers didn't want to stay, however, when you need to drive between sixty and eighty kilometers to get home, it really didn't leave them much of an option. So let me introduce our first performer for this set; he was chosen to participate in the show literally last minute, and has done an excellent job so far. Please welcome to the stage, Mr. Monty Shakes!”

Harry watched as Hermione came on stage, and his mouth dropped open just a bit. Thanks to the costuming and makeup, if it weren't for her height, Harry would have been convinced he was actually watching Michael Jackson on that stage. Her face showed no anxiety whatsoever, her facial expression showed a deep caring and regard that he was used to seeing on her face. The song itself was an almost perfect fit for her as well; he had never felt alone from the day he met her, and it was at times like this, when she allowed people to see just how much she actually cared for others, that he thought of himself as lucky to be counted among her friends.

When Hermione came to the center of the stage and pulled one arm down sharply, he saw Melodie Sommers, obviously playing the part of an ecstatic fan, run on stage and into Hermione's arms. It was amazing to him that Hermione was able to seamlessly begin to dance with Melodie while still lip syncing the song perfectly. After a few moments of dancing, Hermione dropped to one knee and bowed, arms extended, as though thanking the 'fan' for the dance, then stood up again. When Melodie threw her arms around Hermione in a hug, Hermione raised her head and nodded slightly. As he watched, Harry saw Harry Pi come on stage and walk over to them, removing Melodie's arms from Hermione and pulling her from the stage. Harry chuckled a little when he saw the back of the shirt Harry Pi was wearing, the words 'Concert Security' clearly visible.

Other members of the audience were already beginning to line up on either side of the runway, and Harry also stood to go to the runway to tip his best friend. While taking his tip, Hermione surprised him. He was expecting possibly a hug or kiss to his cheek, since that was what most of the performers that night had done. Hermione waited until there was a short time in the music where there was no singing, to fully kiss him on the lips before taking the tip he held up. As the song ended, Hermione stepped forward to take a bow, and there was a moment of silence before the applause began. Smiling, Hermione waved before bowing again, then blew a kiss to the audience before leaving the stage.

Seeing all three walking toward him a few moments later, Harry stood as they got closer.

“I believe I was promised an explanation for Melodie coming out of the women's lavatory before you went on stage. Do you have time for that now?” Harry asked, after giving Hermione a small hug.

“We need to change soon, but yes, I have time to explain,” Melodie began, looking first at Harry, then Hermione, “let's go somewhere a bit quieter so I don't have to shout,” she suggested, using her arm to indicate they walk near the smoking patio at the very back of the club. After a glance at each other, Harry and Hermione followed.

“The simple explanation for me using the women's lavatory, is that I am a woman. However, I can see you need more than the 'simple' explanation. My Drag son Harry already knows this, and could possibly clarify anything that still confuses you if needed,” Melodie began, glancing briefly at Harry Pi. After taking a deep breath, Melodie began her explanation. “I am someone who is referred to as a Trans woman, someone who was born male, but who lives their life as a woman. It's abbreviated sometimes as MtF, which stands for Male to Female. Therefore, I live as a woman, not as a man. To help you understand, I'm going to ask you to close your eyes, and imagine for a moment, that the day you were born, you were born wearing a Halloween costume, which everyone accepted as the way you were supposed to look. There is only one problem with this Halloween costume however; the costume doesn't fit, being a size too small, so it's extremely uncomfortable. However, everyone around you believes this costume is how you're supposed to look, so no one realizes how uncomfortable you are. There are no fastenings of any kind on this costume, so you have no idea how to take it off by yourself. So you learn, somehow, to live with it, because as you grow, the costume stretches, still being too small, always uncomfortable, and still with no fastening allowing you to take off this costume. Eventually, this costume becomes so uncomfortable that you begin asking people if they can help you, and finally you find someone who knows a medical professional that can help. The medical professional directs you to other people that you can also talk to, with the suggestion that while you follow the medical professional's advice, to try dressing and living the manner you believe you would have all along if you hadn't been born wearing this costume. Until finally, after several visits over a long span of time, the medical professional sends you to a colleague who knows how to remove this too small costume, so you go to this colleague of the medical professional you know, and he or she does the procedure that finally removes the costume that you've been wearing, feeling uncomfortable, feeling out of place, and feeling that things would be better if you didn't have to wear it, and you can finally, feel like the person you knew you could see in the mirror, even though no one else could, and finally, for the first time in your life, feel as though the world around you is seeing you for who you really are.” *

The entire time Melodie had been speaking, both Harry and Hermione could see the tears gathering in her eyes; tears she was obviously doing her best to hold back. Hermione was also able to see a faint flicker of hope on Melodie's face. Whether that hope was about she and Harry accepting her explanation and understanding, or the hope that the two of them wouldn't dismiss her explanation and cause a disturbance, she couldn't tell. After a few moments, Harry smiled, and held out his hand.

“Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Sommers, and thank you for the explanation. It is certainly a unique way to do so, but I do understand now.”

“Thank you. Now, if you'll excuse us, my Drag son and I need to change for our own songs. Monty, it would be best if you stay in costume until after the contest. The audience will want to see the person they saw on stage, not the woman chosen from the audience when they begin deciding who to applaud for when they are given the choice. You can change then, and don't worry, Harry and I will keep your belongings safe until you change.”

Each lost in their own thoughts, neither Harry nor Hermione noticed when Melodie Sommers and Harry Pi walked away to go to the dressing room. They also weren't paying attention to the rest of the show, and only became aware of their surroundings again when each felt a tap on their shoulders.

“Monty, Nick just introduced the final performer, so we need to go backstage,” Harry Pi said, smiling briefly at Harry, “Melodie is already backstage waiting for us.”

“Go ahead, I'll be here cheering you on, 'Monty',” Harry joked, before picking up his drink to take a sip.

After the performers were backstage, Nick approached the group.

“Thank you all for coming tonight. Here's how the contest will work: I'll call each of you out for a final bow, and once everyone is on stage, I'll hold my hand above you, either at your shoulder or head, and the audience will applaud, based on how well they enjoyed your performance. The performer who gets the loudest applause will win the contest and the £50. Does everyone understand?”

After everyone nodded in understanding, Nick went out on the stage, microphone in hand.

“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming tonight, and we hope you've enjoyed the show here at The Masquerade. And now, we need your help to determine just who among the performers will win the £50 cash prize. After everyone is on stage, I will ask you to applaud for your favorite performer of the night. Please applaud for only one performer, because the one with the loudest applause will be the winner.”

One by one, each of the performers was called back out onto the stage, each one doing his or her best to make an impression on the audience. When it was down to Melodie Sommers, Harry Pi, and Hermione yet to be called out, Melodie gave Harry a wink then sauntered out onto the stage. A mischievous grin spread across the face of Harry Pi, and he looked at Hermione.

“Do you remember the explanation I gave you about my hearing and physical limits because of the Cerebral Palsy?”

“Yes, I do. Why do you ask?”

“Keep an eye on what I do when called out on stage. It should be easy to do, since Nick just called for Monty Shakes.”

Hermione scowled a bit before walking back onto the stage and waving to the audience, then taking her place in line beside Melodie. A moment later, Nick called for Harry Pi.

As Harry Pi walked briskly back onto the stage, he gave the audience a bright smile, then turned his head slightly, giving the other performers a playful wink, before literally dropping into a full split. He then used his arms, and lifted himself back onto his feet, standing up straight.

“How in _hell_ did he do that? Harry Pi told me he had Cerebral Palsy!” Hermione unintentionally blurted, forgetting for a moment she was in front of a crowd of strangers.

Melodie was quietly chuckling, knowing her Drag son had planned that move all night. One by one, Nick asked the audience to applaud for each performer, based on how well they had been liked by the crowd. After everyone but Phoenix Fyre and Hermione had been eliminated from the running, Nick again asked the audience to applaud for their favorite. As the applause for Phoenix Fyre was slightly louder, he was chosen as the winner of the contest. When Hermione left the backstage area, Harry was standing there grinning. First Melodie, then Harry Pi briefly hugged Hermione before shaking Harry's hand, then turned to go to the dressing room to change.

“I'll be waiting for you at the table. Go ahead and get changed, then I'll take you home. We both have work in the morning.”

Twenty minutes later, Hermione was back at the table, eyebrow raised. She silently handed Harry a slip of paper.

“Harry Pi and Melodie Sommers gave me their address in the United States; they're apparently flatmates and want to keep in touch after they go home in a few days. Melodie still thinks you're a hottie, by the way.”

Chuckling, Harry took Hermione's arm, and they walked side by side out of the nightclub. Hermione took a deep breath of the night air and let it out slowly.

“I called for a taxi while you were changing; it should be here in a few minutes. Did you have fun tonight?”

“Despite what you did to get me into the show, yes, I had fun. More fun than I've had in months. Thank you, Harry”

“I had fun too. I even got some great pictures to show everyone!”

“Harry Potter, I hope none of those pictures are of me. I do not need reminded of the way you tricked me tonight, much less anyone else seeing it.”

The taxi pulled up, and Harry assisted Hermione inside, before climbing in beside her. He instructed the driver to take them to the same restaurant where they'd eaten dinner, and the taxi began moving.

“Since that restaurant is close to a station for the Underground, it should be easy to catch the tube home, okay?”

“That's fine, Harry. I just want to go home and go to bed right now.”

After the taxi dropped them off, Harry and Hermione walked a half kilometer to a place where they could safely apparate, and after Harry had taken Hermione's elbow, they disappeared, reappearing a moment later on the steps leading to her flat. After unlocking the door and opening it, Hermione smiled at Harry again, and as she stood there a moment, Harry leaned in and kissed her softly.

“So we've established you had fun; would you be willing to go out with me again, Hermione? It really is a lot of fun spending time with you, and I can't think of anyone I'd like to spend time with more than you.”

“That actually sounds nice Harry. Of course I'll go out with you again. I think the next evening I have free is next Friday.”

“Excellent! Good night, Hermione. Sleep well.”

“Good night Harry.”

A moment later she heard the crack of apparition. Harry had gone home, but they already had plans for another date, putting a soft smile on Hermione's face. Yes, going on a date with Harry was probably one of the best decisions she'd made.


End file.
